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My brother bought the stuff and did it himself. I think he did 2 coats.

The truck was brand new and even though it probably came with some imperfections that should be "corrected" before a professional would have ceramic coated it, he said it was already perfect in his eyes.

One thing for sure is you could clearly see the before/after as he was applying it. Pretty amazing considering.

Yessir. I am going to get the paint looking really good before I apply the ceramic coating. It is gonna take a few days for sure but I think it is going to look really good. I think im gonna get enough to do my wheels as well.

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Yessir. I am going to get the paint looking really good before I apply the ceramic coating. It is gonna take a few days for sure but I think it is going to look really good. I think im gonna get enough to do my wheels as well.

It's not even really an option. To do a ceramic coating, you MUST do a full decon and paint correction first.

My truck was almost brand new and it got a chemical and mechanical decontamination, then a one step polish. It really needed at least a 2 step polish, because some swirls were still present.

This is why a ceramic coating is so expensive. It's EXTREMELY labor intensive to prepare the paint for it. Few of the products are even available to the diy customer, but my Crystal Serum light is. If you just go wash it and slap some on, it's gonna give you a mess. It will take wet sanding to remove.

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It's not even really an option. To do a ceramic coating, you MUST do a full decon and paint correction first.

My truck was almost brand new and it got a chemical and mechanical decontamination, then a one step polish. It really needed at least a 2 step polish, because some swirls were still present.

This is why a ceramic coating is so expensive. It's EXTREMELY labor intensive to prepare the paint for it. Few of the products are even available to the diy customer, but my Crystal Serum light is. If you just go wash it and slap some on, it's gonna give you a mess. It will take wet sanding to remove.

I think I am going to do a 3 step just so I can get the paint to look exactly how I want it to. I spent well over 8 hours on my buddies car and got the paint looking ok considering how bad it was and I lost a little motivation half way through LOL
The pics are over in my build thread. I want to get it looking like glass.
This is what I was looking at. Technically not a ceramic, but it has good reviews and for my first time I would not hesitate to use it because it is easier to correct just in case a mistake is made

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I think when I do it, I want to use an AIO (all in one). Something like McKee's AIO. It has a "diminishing abrasive" which just sort of disappears as you use it with no residue, and also acts as a sealant. It won't yield results like your proposed 3 step with a dedicated top coat applied afterwards, but my truck spends a lot of time in the woods and off the road. It's just not worth putting WAYY too much effort into perfection.

As I gain more experience with paint correction on my own and it becomes easier for me that may change.

CSL is what is on my truck.

Sirike I would say that you have a truck that you plan to keep a long time this time, and that you went the extra mile to get exactly the one you wanted. I know that you did not see the value in the $500 that I spent on my correction and coating and you guys razzed me pretty good in our group chat, but DO IT. IF you can afford it. By no means is it worth it IMO if you don't have the excess disposable income to afford it easily. In that case wash and wax that bitty now and then and rock out with your, err, truck clean.

Spend whatever it takes and have the paint perfected NOW. It'll never be as cheap and take as few steps as it will right now. Then invest in a top quality ceramic coating such as CQuartz, OR go the extra mile and get something like XPel paint protection film applied. That will cost the MOST but also offer the BEST protection.

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”Thick” is a relative term when it comes to automotive coatings. Even tri-coat paints may be as thin as only .1 mm. Most coating manufacturers do not recommend multiple coats of product either. It’s more about how hard the coating is than how thick the coating is. Anyway... I digress.

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”Thick” is a relative term when it comes to automotive coatings. Even tri-coat paints are only about .1 mm thick with all three coats applied. Most coating manufacturers do not recommend multiple coats of product either. It’s more about how hard the coating is than how thick the coating is. Anyway... I digress.

I highly recommend you guys head to Autogeek's forum, or a similar auto paint care enthusiast forum. There are a few guys here who know paint care for sure, but in the end this is a truck forum. I learned a lot from AG.

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I highly recommend you guys head to Autogeek's forum, or a similar auto paint care enthusiast forum. There are a few guys here who know paint care for sure, but in the end this is a truck forum. I learned a lot from AG.

The Geek and Autopia both have very informative forums they are both owned and solely sponsored by Palm Beach Motoring Group (PBMG). Many members frequent both forums. I would equate those forums as AutoGeek being the detailing equivalent to F150 forum and Autopia being the detailing equivalent of F150Ecoboost.net. AutoGeek has more members but has rules stating that you discuss only products that they sell. Autopia has fewer members, though tight knit, where any detailing products can be discussed. Neither forum allows links to competing retailers. Both serve their purpose.

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Ya I got a couple quotes around my area and 1400 seems to be the average not including a paint correction if that is required. The DIY kitsch seem to be around 400 or so do get a truck done.
1400 is way to expensive for me but I wish I could it seems a great product

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I would love to get it done, that price is amazingly cheaper than what I've been quoted (and I've got MINIMAL swirls).
Correction seems to be where they are trying to rake me over the coals since my truck is 5 years old.

The results are amazing and certainly speak for themselves. If I decide to keep 'ol Boostie I would certainly like to do this.

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$1000 even. But he's a good guy who needed the business and he agreed that since the truck was brand new he wouldn't have to put in as much labor as normal.

While he said he was using the "5 year" product and methods, he told me that I should expect about 2 years of really good performance if I wasn't going to protect the truck with garaging or at least a car port.

It's been about 14 or 15 months. It looks very much like the day he did it after a quality hand wash and quick detail.

Note: uploading the photo actually crushes it and you can't really see the result. That platinum white POPS in sunlight.

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I'd bet there are more swirls on your trucks than you think. If you took a swirl finder light to it I bet you'd be disappointed, unless the dealership never washed it. There were 6 miles on my truck, and it had plenty of swirls. I didn't realize it for about a week, as it was overcast. Got some good weather and some bright sunlight, go to look directly at the paint where the light collects and BADAM! SURPRISE!

Although it's going to stand out and be much easier to see with black than that gray, I'd imagine. Even with no swirls, you're still looking at a chemical decontamination and a clay bar. I don't care what anybody says, clay barring slightly mars the paint surface and at least a light polish is necessary afterward.

Also, not saying it isn't the case here, but I think some people claim they don't have swirls who really don't understand what swirls are (because they clearly did). I think sometimes they hear that and are imagining some sort of blemish akin to what you'd see with a poor buff job, or as if you'd waxed it with a brillo pad. You can have swirls and the paint looks fantastic after a wash, until you get close and look directly into the paint in a bright light where the light gathers in a circle.

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I'd bet there are more swirls on your trucks than you think. If you took a swirl finder light to it I bet you'd be disappointed, unless the dealership never washed it. There were 6 miles on my truck, and it had plenty of swirls. I didn't realize it for about a week, as it was overcast. Got some good weather and some bright sunlight, go to look directly at the paint where the light collects and BADAM! SURPRISE!

Although it's going to stand out and be much easier to see with black than that gray, I'd imagine. Even with no swirls, you're still looking at a chemical decontamination and a clay bar. I don't care what anybody says, clay barring slightly mars the paint surface and at least a light polish is necessary afterward.

Also, not saying it isn't the case here, but I think some people claim they don't have swirls who really don't understand what swirls are (because they clearly did). I think sometimes they hear that and are imagining some sort of blemish akin to what you'd see with a poor buff job, or as if you'd waxed it with a brillo pad. You can have swirls and the paint looks fantastic after a wash, until you get close and look directly into the paint in a bright light where the light gathers in a circle.

At least on the majority of my truck, I haven't looked at every single square inch in the sunlight or with my high power led light ( but I did the majority of the truck with both, because I'm a freak) When I got my truck it just happened to come off the delivery truck a few days before and I told them not to touch it or wash it.

Unfortunately the video quality sucks in this video. But I literally pretty much went over the whole truck the day after I got it looking for swirls or imperfections, again because I'm a freak like that. I was in direct sun and also used my high power LED flashlight. I agree though black will definitely show them much more and the metal flake in mine will hide them a little easier... I'm not sure if yours has metal flake or not though.

I'm sure if I look hard enough I'll find something though. I'm still going to do the ceramic coating but it won't be for a year, so far I've been pretty impressed with this cilajet crap works pretty good for what it is and what it cost

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At least on the majority of my truck, I haven't looked at every single square inch in the sunlight or with my high power led light ( but I did the majority of the truck with both, because I'm a freak) When I got my truck it just happened to come off the delivery truck a few days before and I told them not to touch it or wash it.

Unfortunately the video quality sucks in this video. But I literally pretty much went over the whole truck the day after I got it looking for swirls or imperfections, again because I'm a freak like that. I was in direct sun and also used my high power LED flashlight. I agree though black will definitely show them much more and the metal flake in mine will hide them a little easier... I'm not sure if yours has metal flake or not though.

I'm sure if I look hard enough I'll find something though. I'm still going to do the ceramic coating but it won't be for a year, so far I've been pretty impressed with this cilajet crap works pretty good for what it is and what it cost

I'm totally OBSESSED.
Pretty sure the neighbors that don't know me think I'm probably a tweaker, constantly out there blowing/dusting off my truck. With this cilajet all I have to do is use my foam jet sprayer, foam up the truck, let it sit, then power wash it off and then I use my lawn blower to dry it off, no drying towel

Your 3 steps would be cut, polish, and jewel? Cut, polish, strip? Or cut, polish, coat? Just curious what you mean. New cutting compounds can finish down really well, and be very easy to remove any micro marring. Just remember to start light and only go deeper if you need to, you might not need all the steps.

I'm also very slow when correcting, but its just the way I want it lol. Make sure you are switching pads often enough, especially with MF pads. You'll get better results faster, and be wayy more efficient.

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At least on the majority of my truck, I haven't looked at every single square inch in the sunlight or with my high power led light ( but I did the majority of the truck with both, because I'm a freak) When I got my truck it just happened to come off the delivery truck a few days before and I told them not to touch it or wash it.

Unfortunately the video quality sucks in this video. But I literally pretty much went over the whole truck the day after I got it looking for swirls or imperfections, again because I'm a freak like that. I was in direct sun and also used my high power LED flashlight. I agree though black will definitely show them much more and the metal flake in mine will hide them a little easier... I'm not sure if yours has metal flake or not though.

I'm sure if I look hard enough I'll find something though. I'm still going to do the ceramic coating but it won't be for a year, so far I've been pretty impressed with this cilajet crap works pretty good for what it is and what it cost

No, DO IT NOW! I'll bet you a nickel to a dollar after a year, there WILL be swirls to correct.

I'm considering 2 or 3 steps being just that. Each successive step being a finer and less aggressive polishing pad and polish. Pad choice is just as important as polishing compound.

I forget his actual terminology, but Mike Phillips at AG teaches to use the least aggressive pad/polish that will get the job done. Try test spots first to see which pads are necessary that are aggressive enough to do the job, but not more.

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Your 3 steps would be cut, polish, and jewel? Cut, polish, strip? Or cut, polish, coat? Just curious what you mean. New cutting compounds can finish down really well, and be very easy to remove any micro marring. Just remember to start light and only go deeper if you need to, you might not need all the steps.

I'm also very slow when correcting, but its just the way I want it lol. Make sure you are switching pads often enough, especially with MF pads. You'll get better results faster, and be wayy more efficient.

Clay bar - probably going with a med since the paint isn't too bad.
Then follow that up with a wash then at the end wipe down with IPA to further get any contamination out of the paint.
I tried nanoskin and did not like it so I am sticking to a regular clay bar.
Then I got to a med cutting compound since there isn't any bad imperfections on my paint right now and clear coat is in good condition. The thickness is unknown, but considering I doubt anyone has done any extensive paint correction on it I think I will be safe.
I will then go to a light cutting compound to start getting things to shine and pop how I want followed that up by a finishing polish. Between each compound I wipe down with IPA to remove any residual contamination left over and to make sure I can see all the paint imperfections so there isn't any "filler" masking anything.
Then I usually follow up with a sealant then a wax. Then proceed to treating the trim with a dressing. I clay bar the trim after the paint to help clean it off.